Champions League brings Premier pressure for Manchester City

The champagne corks were popping last season after City qualified for the Champions League - but the Blues need to discover a hangover cure quickly to deal with the hidden danger lurking in their new fixture list.

The champagne corks were popping last season after City qualified for the Champions League - but the Blues need to discover a hangover cure quickly to deal with the hidden danger lurking in their new fixture list.

Roberto Mancini's men face away Premier League matches after each of their European group stage games - a schedule that will place a huge toll on City's multi-million pound squad.

With three of those games against teams likely to be challenging them for the domestic title, City's already tough learning curve has just got steeper.

City face Fulham, Blackburn, United, QPR, Liverpool and Chelsea in the league after their Champions League ties.

Mancini does have experience of European competition thanks to last season's draining Europa League campaign.

The relentless programme left the squad struggling with injuries and the manager clearly frustrated.

"We are tired because we have so many games and so few players," said Mancini, ahead of the trip to Dynamo Kiev in March.

"We have tired bodies and minds. When you play every three days the brain is tired. It is very difficult."

As it turned out, City lost to Kiev and went on to produce the barnstorming finish that resulted in FA Cup victory and a third-placed finish.

This time City face another stressful campaign – but the difference now lies in the quality of opposition.

In the early stages of the Europa League, it is relatively easy to rotate the squad, but resting players against the likes of Barcelona will not be an option.

Nobody is more experienced at juggling the twin demands of Premier and Champions League football than United - but even the Reds trip up occasionally.

In spring 2010 their season collapsed in the space of a week after defeats against Bayern Munich and Chelsea.

At the time skipper Gary Neville said: "Losing 2-1 at home to Chelsea in the league was a big disappointment for us. We had lost in Munich earlier in the week and playing after European games has been a problem."

He added: "At a club like Manchester United we do have great highs but because we compete in the biggest competitions we do suffer sometimes as well."

How should Roberto Mancini rotate the squad for the different competitions? Have your say.